"Santa and the Mouse"

We love it when we get copies of student publications from generous donors. One such publication was received just before Thanksgiving this year from Mary Lou Brewton. It was The Breakers Literary Club's publication for 1963 containing poems and short stories written by students of the Beaufort Junior High School in 1963. Claudia Cook was editor while Valerie Klidonas took care of the business side of the document. I'm not sure what "Diction Manager" means but Linda James served in that capacity. The Club ran a competition to determine whose work would be included. Over 40 students had their works published.

Given that it's almost Christmas time, "Santa and the Mouse" is a charming seasonal offering that received an "Honorable Mention" that year. It was penned by Lena Heyward.

Santa and the Mouse

One Christmas Even, when Santa Claus
Came to a certain house,
To fill the children's stockings there,
He found a little mouse.

"A merry Christmas, little friend,"
Said Santa good and kind.
"The same to you, sir," said the mouse,
"I thought you wouldn't mind." 

 "If I should stay awake tonight,
And watch you for awhile."
"You're very welcome, little mouse,"
Said Santa with a smile.

And then he filled the stockings up,
Beaufort the mouse could wink.
From toe to top from top to toe,
There wasn't left a crink.

"Now they won't hold another thing"
Said Santa Clause with pride.
A twinkle came in the mouse's eyes.
But humbly he replied.

"It's not polite to contradict,
Your pardon, I implore
But in the fullest stocking there
I could put one thing more."

"Oh, ho," laughed Santa, "silly mouse!
Don't I know how to pack?
By filling stockings all these years,
I should have learned the knack."

And then he took the stocking down
From where it hung so high
And said, "Now put in one thing more,
I give you leave to try."

The mouse chuckled to himself
And then he softly stole
Right to the stockings crowded toe
And gnawed a little hole!

"Now, if you please, good Santa Clause,
I put in one thing more,
For you will own that little hole
Was not there before."

How Santa Clause did laugh and laugh!
And then he gaily spoke.
"Well! you shall have some Christmas
For that nice little joke."

If you don't think this story's true
Why! I can show to you
The very stocking with the hole
The little mouse gnawed through.

Among other student publications in our Research Room are the volumes shepherded by Margaret Rushton at Beaufort, Lady's Island and the Humanities Middle Schools during the 1990s and 2000s; "Beaufort Flashbacks of the Early 1900s from Interviews of Senior Citizens," by students of Lady's Island Elementary and Beaufort Junior High Schools, Whistling Water: Student Community Arts Anthology Arts in Motion Project, 1978-1981, Daufuskie Kids' Magazine once featured on the Today Show, Creating a Sense of Place: Beaufort & 18th Century America and River of Words: Musings on Port Royal Sound Through Poetry and Art 2013.

While we cannot tell you every writer of every item included, you are most welcome to come to our Research Room and spend several hours looking for your - or your ancestor's - contribution to these student publications. As this is the holiday season, there are some schedule changes to our usual Mondays - Fridays, 9 am to 5 pm customary schedule:

Tuesday, December 3, 2019: OPEN 9 to Noon; 1 - 5
Monday, December 23, 2019: Closed
Tuesday, December 24, 2019: Closed
Wednesday, December 25, 2019: Closed
Thursday, December 26, 2019: OPEN 9 to Noon; 1 - 5
Friday, December 27, 2019: OPEN 9 to Noon; 1 - 5
Saturday, December 28, 2019: Closed
Sunday, December 29, 2019: Closed
Monday, December 30, 2019: OPEN customary hours 9 - 5
Tuesday, December 31, 2019: OPEN customary hours, 9 - 5
Wednesday, January 1, 2019: Closed
Thursday, January 2, 2019: OPEN customary hours, 9 - 5